There has been a dramatic increase in the use of portable laptop computers. However, the versatility of the portable laptop computer is limited by the amount of ambient light available. When there is an insufficient amount of ambient light a user is unable to see the keyboard and unable to accurately and efficiently operate the computer. Therefore, the places where a user can work on the computer are limited to well lit locations, thus reducing the productivity associated with portable computers. Conventional computers and portable laptop computers are ineffective and inefficient when the user cannot see the keyboard. The need for a user to have full visibility of the keyboard is further amplified by the fact that most laptop computers are designed with smaller keys that are positioned very close together to conserve space thus allowing the laptop to be smaller and more portable.
Apparatus for illuminating computer keyboards have heretofore been provided. For example, separate, low-voltage lights are available for keyboard illumination. When these lights plug into the computer's power source, however, they cause the computer's battery to drain more rapidly. Some portable computers have built in lights to illuminate the keyboard. See for example U.S. Pat. No. 5,815,225 which discloses utilizing the liquid crystal display backlighting light source to illuminate the keyboard by means of light pipes. Such a lighting system is relatively complex and adds to the cost of the computer.
There is, therefore a need for a new and improved apparatus and method for illuminating computer keyboards which overcomes these disadvantages.
In general, it is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus and method for illuminating a computer keyboard which utilizes light emitted from the display screen of the computer.
Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus and method for illuminating a computer keyboard of the above character which can be permanently or removably attached to the computer display.
Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus and method for illuminating a computer keyboard of the above character which is particularly suited for use with a laptop computer.
Additional objects and features of the invention will appear from the following description from which the preferred embodiments are set forth in detail in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.